Bobbin hobble



1962 w. H. JACOBS ETAL 3,019,893

BOBBIN HOBBLE Filed June 8, 1960 W/[L lAM H. JACOBS DOI? OTHY J. T/MPONE INVENTORS.

United States Patent 3,019,893 BOBBIN HUBBLE William H. Jacobs and Dorothy J. Timpone, St. Louis,

Mo., assignors of one-third to Wendeli Cofiee, Lubbock, Tex.

Filed June 8, 1960, Ser. No. 34,671 2 Claims. (Cl. 206-53) This invention pertains to sewing and more particularly to a guard or restraint to be placed around a bobbin to prevent the thread from accidentally unraveling therefrom.

A typical domestic sewing arrangement includes a machine which utilizes both a spool and bobbin for thread. Normally the seamstress will have several colors of thread wound on several bobbins, only one of which is used at a time. Often the thread will tend to unwind from the bobbins not being used, thus becoming loose and tangled.

An object of this invention is to provide the bobbin with a bobble or restraint to maintain the thread upon the bobbin when in storage.

Another object is to permit the seamstress to identify the exact color of the thread upon the bobbin when the bobble is attached.

Further objects are to achieve the above with a device that is sturdy, compact, durable, simple, and reliable, yet inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects, uses, and advantages thereof will clearly appear from the following description and from the acc0mpanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial section of a device according to this invention taken on line 1-1 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the device taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device.

As may be seen in the drawings, the bobble or fetter is the shape of an annular band 10.

The bobbin as illustrated is a common type bobbin in domestic use. It has a cylindrical center element 12 which is tubular so that it fits upon a spindle. Two discs 14 are attached to the center element. The discs are co-axial with the cylinder and attached at either extremity of the cylinder. The discs are of equal size. The discs form limits to the center element when the thread is wound upon it, i.e., the thread is reeled around the bobbin as though it were a Windlass.

The band is constructed of a clear plastic. We prefer to use a clear plastic so that the exact color of thread may be seen clearly. There is an advantage to having a mass of color because a single thread cannot be readily matched as to the exact color.

The band is of a springy material so that it snaps in place. The band in axial section is arcuately concave. A portion of the band will extend into the volume between the discs when in place (FIG. 1). However; as seen in FIG. 1, the edges of the band are outside the perimeter of the discs, i.e., the band at the edges is slightly larger in diameter than the discs and slightly smaller at the center where the aforementioned portion extends into the volume between the discs. When in place the band will surround with the bobbin and be co-axial with it. The width of the band will be about the distance from one disc 14 to the other.

There is provided an aperture 16 in the band so that a portion of the thread may be pulled from the bobbin. In a preferred embodiment as illustrated, this aperture extends to a slot extending the full width of the band. Therefore the band is a split ring. This makes it possible for the band to increase in diameter slightly as it is being slipped over the bobbin into place. When in use the slot is practically closed.

It will be apparent that the embodiments shown are only exemplary and that various modifications can be made in construction, materials, and arrangement within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A protector for thread on a bobbin, the bobbin having a cylindrical center element adapted to the winding of thread thereon, and two equal sized end discs coaxial with the cylinder, one at each end of the cylinder; comprising:

(a) an annular band co-axial with the bobbin surrounding same,

(b) the width of the band about equal to the distance between discs,

(c) the band at the edges being slightly larger in diameter than the discs,

(0?) the band being arcuately concave in axial section so that it extends into the volume between the discs, and

(e) the band having an aperture for the thread to extend from the bobbin.

2. A protector for thread on a bobbin, the bobbin having a cylindrical center element adapted to the winding of the thread thereon, and two equal sized end discs coaxial with the cylinder, one at each end of the cylinder; comprising:

(a) an annular band co-axial with the bobbin surrounding same,

(b) the width of the band about equal to the distance between discs,

(0) the band at the edges being slightlylarger in diameter than the discs,

((1) the band being arcuately concave in axial section so that it extends into the volume between the discs,

(e) the band being constructed of transparent springy material, and

(f) the band having a slot extending the full width of the band so that the band is a split ring, and

(g) the slot forming an aperture for thread to extend from the bobbin.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 848,007 Brusseau Mar. 26, 1907 1,926,588 Hayden Sept. 12, 1933 2,141,109 Kemptgen Dec. 20, 1938 2,928,538 Mills Mar. 15, 1960 

